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Game Rap: Raptors 87, Warriors 95

Holly MacKenzie - Raptors.com

IT WAS OVER WHEN

Both teams went to their second units. The depth and experience of the 2015 NBA Champion Warriors was too much for the Raptors to handle in their second game of a back-to-back with lineups featuring new and rookie players getting extended time.

LOWRY SITS

Kyle Lowry sat out for the Raptors one day after dominating in a 20-point win against the Los Angeles Clippers in Vancouver. Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said Lowry’s groin had been bothering him during training camp, while Lowry said the night off would allow young guys a chance to get more playing time.

CURRY SITS AFTER 19 MINUTES

Despite 2015 MVP Steph Curry fouling out in the third quarter after just 19 minutes of action, the Warriors had too much firepower for a Raptors team still learning its defensive schemes and each other.

RAPTORS PLAYER OF THE GAME

One day after helping to set the tone defensively against the Clippers, DeMarre Carroll led Toronto offensively with a team-high 15 points in San Jose. Carroll played 24 minutes and shot 5-for-12 from the floor, making three of his six attempts from beyond the arc. Underrated Raptors player of the game: Jonas Valanciunas finished with eight points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes of action. In two preseason games, Valanciunas has hauled down 22 rebounds and said being under the basket and working the glass is a focus this season.

ROOKIE WATCH

Norman Powell impressed in his 18 minutes against the Warriors as he helped to lead a Raptors comeback attempt in the fourth quarter. Powell scored 13 points on 6-for-11 shooting and earned praise from Carroll and head coach Dwane Casey after the game.

THAT'S A RAP...

“Everybody on the team works together. They swing the ball well. They have great ball movement. They believe in one another and there’s great communication.” - Norman Powell on the Warriors and what makes them so tough to stop

BY THE #'S

38 - Percent shooting for the Raptors in comparison to 50-percent shooting by the Warriors.

14 - For the second straight game, 14 players logged time for the Raptors. Expect to see more of the same as preseason continues.

29 - Assists for the Warriors who had four players with at least four assists. DeMar DeRozan’s four assists led the Raptors, who recorded just 15 total.

THEY SAID IT...

“I think the biggest thing for us is we’ve got to adapt to the team. Yesterday, everybody was running to the paint to stop the hoops. Tonight it was different. We had guys shooting threes, so we should have ran to the three point line. We’ve just got to lean to adapt to the team. I think that’ll come. Tonight was kind of rough, back-to-back in the preseason is kind of rough, but at the same time we’ve got to try to keep getting better.” - DeMarre Carroll

“From 0-100 that’s [what] the difference between college basketball and the NBA is. He’s learning. Delon is going to be alright. He’s going to be a good NBA player but getting used to it, the speed of the game, the change of speed, how guys go from 0-100 is something all rookies have to get used to.” - Dwane Casey on how rookie Delon Wright fared against the speed of Golden State

“We are using different schemes on the defence. We are more like, we’re keeping me under the basket more so it’s easier for me to get a rebound that way.” - Jonas Valanciunas on getting double-digit rebounds in his first two preseason games

“He’s aggressive. He’s physical. He attacks the rim and you think there’s no way he’s going to get that off over that big 7-footer and he gets there. He made us some key buckets down the stretch that got us back into it and out us in position to win the exhibition game. I liked it. He did some good stuff.” - Dwane Casey

UP NEXT

The Raptors will take on the Los Angeles Lakers in Ontario, California on Thursday night at Citizens Business Bank Arena.